A Tangled Web of Beauty Part 5- Two of You!
by Starjargon
Summary: River Song has ended up on Pete's World. There's only one man she'd ever go to to help her. Even if Rose Tyler would rather she didn't. Bumping the rating to T for potential suggestive scenarios.
1. Tyler Residence

**A/N- I have not yet finished with snippets from any one part of my Tangled Web of Beauty series, so don't think I've given up or anything, I'm just too excited by the sections I did write to wait until every single part is completely finished. Also, special note on this story- yes, I know the previous parts I wrote and who were featured. Yes, I do have an explanation as to why people don't know one another in this one. Also, I HATE the ship of Rose/Ten, though I like Rose as a character, and this actually came about in an attempt to warm me to the idea of them being in a relationship on a parallel world. It didn't work, but I think I got a nice story out of it. Also, much is already completed, so no new info we may or may not get in the 50****th**** will be included.**

**Due to the Timey Wimey nature of the Doctor and the Pond's life- the order of the series doesn't necessarily matter. Also, very AU- in which Manhattan shall now be known as "that place the Doctor and Ponds went before they went to the pub and Amy and River schooled the boys at video games." There will be so much fluff, crazy random happenstances, and guest appearances in this story- so be prepared, and enjoy the ride, because I have so far. Let me know what you think!**

River had been chasing a level one-vortex abuser through galaxy after galaxy, millennia upon millennia. She was using a specialized ship "on loan" from a 70th century descendent of the Time Agency, able to make trips not safe or too- long lived for a vortex manipulator. She had almost caught him near a rift in time/ space when a large buzzing rang in her ears, and she worked at the controls until she realized it was a type of alarm the ship was never really meant to make. She also noticed two other ships similar to her target's closing in. She tried to keep her target in sight, until she realized they were all headed for a very dangerous crash. It never came. Instead, her ship began shaking and jerking violently. After a very, very bumpy ride, she finally locked on the actual criminal's coordinates, sloppily and shakily landing on Earth- 21st Century if she was correct. However, upon further inspection, she realized something was off.

Yes, this seemed like earth. Yes, it seemed like England. Yes, it even seemed like the time period in which her former regeneration had grown up. But, there were little things that made no sense to her- well, big things, actually. Like those big blimps in the sky.

Ok- so now the bumpy ride and warnings made sense.

She had lost her reading on her target, and realized belatedly her ship had lost power. Great. The Doctor had mentioned a parallel world he had been to before. With any luck, this was the same one. Because if this was the same one, her husband's clone would be here. And if his clone was here, he would be able to get her back home, hopefully in time.

What did she know about the human Doctor? Well, first she decided to take stock of her surroundings. A _friendly_ little chat with a young gentlemen told her she had arrived in London, late 2008 (really, she could have found a newspaper, but her way was much more entertaining). Ok. So her man, or rather, his clone? Son? Double? Human self- yes, she'd stick with her human Doctor, would have only been here a matter of mere months. She charmed her new friend into telling her how to get to the Tyler residence, figuring that was the best place to find him.

She didn't really need a plan. The Doctor told her the metacrisis had happened later in his last life, ergo- this version of him should know her. That's a comfort at least, because she could really use her husband now. Even she gets slightly off kilter sometimes, even if she'd never admit it. Right, so she just needed a ride. Thank you again, Mr. Ianto Jones. He really was a nice gentleman- he reminded her of someone she'd once met in Cardiff long ago.

When she arrived at the house, the security guard actually tried to stop her from entering. Bless. A kiss to the side of his mouth, a little clever maneuvering with an old sonic she'd nicked from her husband (what's his is hers, she'd argue once he realized it), and she was through the gates. She was tempted to sonic her way into the house, but realized she was about to get the chance to meet the enigmatic Rose Tyler. She was one of the few companions River had never met, and knew how much her husband had once cared for her. So, she decided to try to make a good first impression, regardless of how cranky and tired she was- besides, she wanted to see what it was her husband had been so drawn to in the young girl.

She knocked on the door, honestly hoping this DocTwo, she settled on addressing him in her mind, would offer up a hospitality her love was so weary of early on in his time stream. She'd had a long couple of days, even longer couple of months if she was perfectly honest, and could do with a bath and change of clothes. She'd brought little from her ship, keeping only the sonic screwdriver, 6 guns, and a perception filter she was now partial to wearing around her neck. She could always go back if necessary.

She was surprised when, despite the size of the house, a resident, not a servant, opened the door.

"How did you get up 'ere then? Pete! The security guard fell asleep on the job again! Now," insisted the lovely loud blonde who'd answered her knock addressed her, "what do you want?"

River smiled, already deducing this was Jackie Tyler from the attitude alone. "I'm looking for the Doctor. Is he here?"

"He and Rose are out- consulting for that Torchwood again. They just rang though, should be 'ome in an hour or so. Who are you?"

"I'm…a very close friend of his from back home. I've come a long way and was hoping he could help me out."

"Back 'ome? You're a nutter you are. His 'ome was-"

"On a destroyed planet in a parallel universe. Yes, I know. I'm not from Gallifrey, but I am from the other universe. Came here by accident and he's the only one I knew to come to."

Jackie looked at her for a moment in shock, then took in her bedraggled appearance and weary eyes, filling with compassion for the lone traveler.

"You could wait for 'im in 'ere. Come inside while I fix you a nice cup of tea. Are you hungry?"

"Famished, actually. Haven't had a proper meal in ages."

"Well, come into the kitchen and you can just tell me what 'appened to ya."

As River watched Jackie first fix her tea, then place it in front of her as she prepared a dish with mouth- watering food for the ravenous time- traveler, she explained her mission to Jackie and Pete, who had joined them soon after they'd entered the house, small child on his hip.

"He travels through the vortex without any of the approved devices, which normally wouldn't be a problem except he seems completely insane and has no idea what he's doing. I locked onto the device he was using and unfortunately got trapped here when he ripped a hole in the worlds. If he keeps going like this, he could tear a permanent wound through the dimensions."

"I remember," said Pete, somewhat reminiscent.

"So, do you really think the Doctor or _our_ Doctor will be able to get you and this man back?"

"Of course. In fact, my Doctor should be looking for me right about now, just have to figure out a way to tell him where to find me. I must say, this is farther than he'd ever think to look."

"Yes, I'd imagine it is."

"So, do you travel with the Doctor then? Like my Rose used to?"

"Well it's more-"

"Mum, we're home!"

Rose and the DocTwo entered the house, looking a little worse for wear. The DocTwo stopped cold in the doorway when he spotted their guest in the kitchen.

"Professor River Song?!"

"Hello Sweetie," her lips automatically curled into a smile, relief flooding through her at sight of this facsimile of the man she loved.

"Who're you?" asked Rose with a slightly possessive tone in her voice.

"The Doctor's new companion," piped Pete.

The DocTwo and Rose both raised eyebrows at this. River took a moment and got up, kissing the DocTwo on the cheek and lifting a hand for Rose to shake.

"Professor River Song. The Doctor's _favorite_ archeologist."

"Glorified gossip columnist," said the DocTwo, though there was warmth in his eyes.

"Still your favorite though, dear," she remarked, and a smile tried valiantly to make its way across his face.

Oh, did she miss that man.

"As I was saying, Jackie- it's slightly more than that."

"If you travel with the Doctor, how comes you're 'ere? I thought travel in between worlds was impossible."

"It was supposed to be, but here we are," shrugged River teasingly, noting the jealous tone of the girl in front of her and was intrigued. She decided to see how far she could push this woman's limits, and find out over which version of her husband she was so possessive. After all, Rose's eyes spoke challenge, and River never could resist rising to a challenge.

"Still, doesn't matter. The Doctor will come to get me just as soon as I can figure out a way to contact him and let him know I'm in this world. He's probably been looking for me since the moment I left the TARDIS. He must be almost frantic by now," River dramatically boasted, watching the emotions playing out on Rose's face from the corner of her eye as she had turned once more to address Jackie and the DocTwo_._

_Interesting, _thought River,_ so she still thinks of my husband as _hers_, despite the man standing in front of me._ She took in the way the DocTwo's eyes darted quickly to Rose's face before returning to her own, and knew her spouse well enough to notice the hurt he was trying to mask._ Very interesting indeed._

"And that's where you come in, Sweetie," she captured his attention once more. "I thought you might be able to get me back home."


	2. Making the Best of It

After River had explained the situation once more to the DocTwo and Rose, the DocTwoimmediately set about to talking a mile a minute, informing River that this universe's Torchwood tower was also set on a rift, just as the one back home had been. She didn't comment on the fact he still referred to her universe as home, just nodded when he informed her he believed they could get a message through if they found a larger rift and projected a signal of some sort and aimed it at Jack's hub.

River nodded, her work on Area 52 coming to mind, and she smiled in remembrance.

"So, Sweetie, how exactly do we find this larger rift?"

"Well, Professor, first I need to see your ship."

When the ship was brought back to the Tyler mansion, the DocTwo hopped around excitedly as he explored his first working (theoretically) space- time machine in months.

"..add this to the temporal accelerators and if I rewire a couple of those dimension hoppers Rose used to go back, we could jumpstart this ship into a working vessel! Then you would just need to create a signal that would reach a different dimension and Bob's your uncle!"

"How long would that take?" asked Rose, caught up in his excitement.

"Well, it'll probably take about three days for the jumpers to recharge after I rewire them. Then it's just a matter of how long it takes River to build the signal."

She turned to Rose, "I've built something similar before for an entirely different reason, but it's the same principals. I just have to modify my original plans to be more mobile than that was."

"Right, then it should take no more than a day to locate the optimal rift."

"Then what? The Doctor can't just come through dimensions, he'd be stuck 'ere and the TARDIS will fade out like it did the last time."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about the Doctor, dear. He can be very resourceful. Just tell him where he needs to be, and let him worry about how to get back."

"I know that, I've known the Doctor longer than you, you know. 'ow long did you say you've been traveling with him now- five whole months?"

River laughed teasingly at that- "Oh, my dear, the Doctor and I've known each other for a very long time, I can assure you. And very, _very_ well." Her voice dropped suggestively at this last add- on.

The DocTwo cleared his throat and looked intently on his work while Rose crossed her arms and stared at him. He tried changing the subject.

"What we should really be trying to figure out is how you got here. Even with vortex jumping he'd been doing, that's not nearly powerful enough to transfer you to a different dimension. So what happened that drew you here?"

"That's what I'd like to know," replied Rose grumpily.

"No idea, Sweetie. All I know is I'm here now, so may as well make the best of it."

Making the best of it, apparently, meant River Song moving in to the Tyler house.


	3. Un-Hidden Love

Jackie and Pete had been very hospitable hosts. They'd given River a very large bedroom with an en suite and a private sitting room- very much to her liking. Especially since the DocTwo's rooms were just next door to the right. She had great plans for this arrangement.

The first night in the Tyler mansion, River had approached the DocTwo for some nightclothes and a spare toothbrush. She thanked him as she turned to go out into her room.

"Does he know?"

"Pardon?" she asked innocently as she turned.

"You're more than just another companion. They may not know it, but I do. The Doctor. Your Doctor. Does he know?" His eyes bored into hers, arms crossed as he stared at her intently.

She dropped the façade. "How did you-" Then she held his gaze and smiled slightly. "Yes. He does. Which is why he'll be so anxious to come for me."

"Part of the reason."

"Yes. Part of the reason." She gave into her smile even more as she thought of her family and her ridiculous husband who was probably scouring their universe for her.

"And your Rose Tyler. Does she know about _you_?"

"Well," he said as he leaned against the door, "I thought she did when I stayed. Thought she felt the same. But now…"

"But now you two are living on opposite sides of a very large manor. I'm guessing that's not a coincidence?" River nudged.

The man in front of her looked into her eyes before slightly shaking his head, and he saw an understanding and a devotion there he wasn't quite ready for. She seemed to be able to read him- all of him, and there were very few people who had ever been able to do that. Not that he was surprised, necessarily, because he knew at least part of what their relationship would become were he still the original Time Lord, but it still unnerved him when someone looked past the walls he had spent years constructing. He had spent most of his life, at least the life he actually existed, not the life inside his head, trying to break down those walls, to let Rose in, but it didn't seem to have any effect on the human girl in love with a completely alien man. A man who had once cared deeply for her. A man who, similar as they were, was not him. Yet here was a woman who knew him- well, a version of him- inside and out, and loved him all the same. That knowledge worked as a salve on his one heart.

River took a tentative step back into his room, still holding his gaze as he moved aside to let her in.

"I bet we have _quite_ a lot to talk about, Sweetie."

* * *

A few hours later, River left the DocTwo's room with a smile on her face and a plan in her head. _Hello, Rose Tyler,_ she thought with a smirk firmly planted on her visage,_ I'm River Song._


End file.
